I need a new keyboard and mouse

I need for a new keyboard and mouse to use with my Mac, and I'm looking for recommendations. Right now my PowerBook is spending most of its life on my desk at home, plugged into an external monitor, drives, and network, and I'd like to throw a real keyboard into the mix. My PowerBook keyboard is getting old (over 3.5 years now), the down-arrow key is starting to stick, and it makes weird clicking noises sometimes. I'd like to replace the PowerBook soon, but for now I'm more interested in having a keyboard that I can be productive with without accruing a couple grand in debt.

I spent a few minutes at the store yesterday and found three things:

  • I don't really like the the feel of Apple's current keyboards.
  • Microsoft's Optical Desktop Elite has a decent-feeling keyboard, and I like the idea of having a scrollwheel on the keyboard. I have no idea if I'd ever actually use it, though.
  • Logitech's LX500 package has a okay keyboard, and it's around $25 for a keyboard and mouse after rebates.

All of the other keyboards that they had on display sucked. Most keyboards are too mushy for me. My personal favorite is from NMB--they used to make a really nice keyboard with real keyswitches that clicked a bit while typing, but not as bad as the beasts that IBM used to make. Unfortunately, I can't find anything like that on the market anymore. Apparently mushy is cheaper, so no one stocks non-mushy keyboards anymore.

So, I'm basically looking for three things:

  1. Has anyone used either of the keyboards that I listed with a Mac? Did they work okay, or do they need some nasty driver before anything works right?
  2. Does anyone know where I could find a modern USB keyboard (ideally with a Mac option key instead of a Windows key) that uses real springs instead of a membrane?
  3. Does anyone have any other keyboards that work well that they'd recommend?

Posted by Scott Laird Fri, 09 Sep 2005 17:26:30 GMT

Read full article 8 comments


Comments

  1. wac 22 minutes later:

    It’s a little different, but I’ve been really happy with the Kinesis Advantage I use at work plugged into my PowerBook. It’s helped some RSI pain that I had and the key feel is really good. Being able to remap keys with the keyboard’s firmware is also nice. The new ones ship with extra keycaps and a tool for pulling the keycaps, but the refurbs are cheaper if they have them available.

    As I recall, they have a showroom up near SR-527 and I-405 near their offices if you want to see some of their kit up close.

  2. Scott Laird about 1 hour later:

    Hmm. The showroom is certainly close enough for me. I’ve never really cared for most of the ergonomic keyboards that I’ve seen, but everyone that uses theirs seems fond of it. Thanks.

  3. Tom Moertel about 3 hours later:

    When your fingers demand nothing less than the authoritative “clack” of an old-style-IBM keyboard, head over to http://www.pckeyboard.com/, where Unicomp sells the real deal. I am typing this very post on one of their clackity-clack beasts, and it is by far the most satisfying keyboard I have owned. It’s not hip, it’s not trendy, and it’s not USB-ready, but it does make for a unequalled coding experience.

  4. Mark Madsen about 4 hours later:

    I’ve been using the Microsoft wireless comfort keyboard both at work and home with my mac – the transmitter pod is USB, of course, and seems to work well. The keyboard feels pretty good, and is slightly angled in an ergonomic fashion. I know what you mean about clicky keyboards, though…my favorite all-time keyboard is still the board shipped by SGI with the Indy workstations.

  5. Peter Cooper about 5 hours later:

    Regarding the mouse part.. how about Apple’s new Mighty Mouse?

  6. Damien Pollet 11 days later:

    I didn’t test or even see it though: http://matias.ca/tactilepro/

    BTW, if someone knows the ultimate slim keyboard… (desktop format, but powerbook-like touch) I know about the Kensington SlimType and the MacAlly IceKey but can’t find them in shops here to try ;(

  7. Jay Batson about 1 month later:

    I’m a guy who sweats ergonomics. (See my reply to your post on your new xpressa.) So for me, a keyboard needs lots of details done well.

    I’m using a Goldtouch split ergo keyboard. (See www.keyovation.com) I love it.

    The website for Key Ovation would lead you to believe the keyboard isn’t “supported.” But mine works like a champ - kind of. What “not supported” means (I think) is that Tiger can’t auto-detect the keyboard type in order to set the modifier key mappings correctly.

    So, this means that when you attach/detach the keyboard, you have to open System Preferences / Keyboards, and set the Modifier Keys (when you attach/detach the keyboard). I find the design of the keyboard so good (key feedback, layout, ergo-split) that this small nuisance is vastly outweighed by the goodness. They pulled one “change” on me that I initially disliked, and now can’t live without: They put the Home / End / PageUp / PageDown keys at the upper left corner of the kbd. Gotta experience it to know why you’ll love it.

    By the way, I ordered the 10-key satellite keypad thinking I’d need it when I did accounting-like things. In the 12 months since I bought it, I’ve never used it. Save your money.

    For mouse, I use a logitech cordless optical mouse. (E.g. there’s a receiver attached to my USB hub, and my wireless mouse talks to it.) It’s “fine” - it does what a mouse is supposed to do, and the size / action is what I like. It does have a tendency to ask me to replace the AA batteries about 1x/month based on my usage level (which is about 18 hours/day these days.)

  8. Mary Beckman 4 months later:

    Is this the new keyboard with the apple command keys? I’m looking for someone who has that before I invest. They keep half the $139 cost for “restocking” if you return it. Thanks!